Looking Through the Darkness
by Mali-Bista
Summary: Sasuke's surprise return to Konoha shook everything up... but when they find out his little disability, things will have to change even more. Will Team Kakashi ever be the same? No pairings yet and rated just to be safe.
1. Return

Ok, there are some things you should know before you read this fanfiction:

1) This is a shared story. You see, 1 person does 1 chapter, and another person does the other. I, the Bista part of this name, do the odd chapters and the Mali part of this name does the even chapters.For more details, please visit our profile and things will become a **lot** clearer.

2) I have read all the manga chapters there are to read at this momentin time (all the way up to chapter 308) and have seen all the episodes. My partner on the other hand has barely seen any episodes and hasn't read any of the manga. She asks that if you notice something wrong with her writing or that something doesn't make sense, to please let us know.

3) Once you read the first few sentences, you'll know when it's set. (like the place and time)

And I think that's everything. Enjoy!

**Note:** We do **NOT** own Naruto, or any of the characters. All we own is our plot and (if the moment calls for it) any other characters that we might make up.

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Chapter 1:

**Return**

It was a hot, sunny day in Konoha. Naruto lay face up on a grassy slope, his orange and black suit clashing with the green grass and purple and blue flowers. With his hands as a cushion under his head, his elbow's almost touched Sakura's, who was lying beside him. The bottom part of her red dress was covered by a medical apron filled with the many tools she needed to help a person in need. Kakashi was a fair distance away from the two under the shade of a tree, reading a brand new copy of Make-Out Tactics, the book Naruto had given to him as a present just the day before.

Naruto's surprise return to Konoha yesterday had caused quite an uproar among the old 'Rookie Nine'. All of his friends that he had passed with had gone on to become Chuunin, and Neji, a Jounin. Today, he had decided, was just a day he could relax and spend with Sakura and catch up with the current events in the village. Tomorrow it was planned that they would begin to search for Sasuke _again_, as he only had four months before Orochimaru took his body.

Neither Sakura, Naruto nor Kakashi had heard anything about their former team mate, or about Orochimaru. Naruto had checked Oto during his training with Jiraiya, but the snake Sannin was no where to be seen, along with Sasuke. Kabuto wasn't even there, and the village was functioning like a normal Hidden Village(1). Sakura sat up suddenly and looked around, her eyes widening with every jerk of her head.

"What's up?" Naruto asked, sitting up as well.

"Didn't you hear that," Sakura frantically whispered, as if the slightest noise would alert some unknown enemy.

Naruto listened as hard as he possibly could, but he still couldn't hear anything. Just as he was about to give up and ask her if she had even heard anything, he heard it.

"What is it?" he whispered, leaning close to her so that only she could hear.

Sakura shook her head. "I don't know."

Naruto listened again, drinking in the sound as it got louder. He couldn't hear it normally, so he let the Kyuubi's chakra sink into his ears, amplifying the sound. After about a minute of listening to it, he could identify it as someone running recklessly through the forest, heaving breathes and off balance footsteps. Naruto didn't know how Sakura could even catch a single sound of it. That's when Kakashi heard it.

He stood up tall and dropped his book where it lay face down, its pages crumpled on top of the swaying grass.

"I don't believe it," he said under his breath, his one visible eye widening as he looked out onto something unseen by neither Naruto nor Sakura.

"What is it Kakashi-sensei?" Sakura half said, half whispered.

"It can't possibly be…" Kakashi muttered again, paying no attention to his pupil.

Naruto tried to find where his teacher was looking, following his line of vision until he was looking deep into the forest. Kakashi sprang forward, running with tremendous speed across the field toward the nestle of trees that marked the beginning of the forest. Sakura and Naruto hurried after him, unable to keep up with their sensei's speed. When they entered the forest, Sakura put her hand out to stop Naruto from going any further.

"What?" Naruto asked impatiently.

"The sound; it stopped," Sakura stated, looking wildly around again. "It should have gotten louder as we got closer to it. I don't like this one bit. Besides, do you think Kakashi-sensei would want us to follow him in the first place?"

"There's only one way to find out," Naruto said. "And that's to follow him and see if he gets mad. Come on!"

Naruto ran out ahead of her, slowing down only slightly when he heard Sakura behind him. They had no clue where Kakashi had gone, but could only assume that he had gone forward, along the path that lead deeper into the forest. The deeper they went, the more worried they got seeing as there was no trace or Kakashi, or whatever he had seen.

"Sakura, come quickly," came Kakashi's voice from up ahead and to the right. "Hurry!"

Naruto slowed himself so that Sakura could get ahead of him, both of them heading in the direction that Kakashi had shouted from, veering of the path and hopping on trees to reach him. They hadn't gone very far when they reached him. He was kneeling down beside something. Sakura jumped down to help, but let out a little scream and jumped back, her hand over her mouth with shock. Naruto jumped down to look at what had frightened her and ended up copying what she had done. Lying there at Kakashi's feet, covered in dark red blood was the lifeless body of Sasuke.

Sakura screamed again, but Kakashi put a finger to his mouth to shut her up.

"He's not dead," he said softly. "But he will be soon if you don't stop this bleeding. Hurry up!"

Sakura nodded slightly and knelt down, her eyes wide. Naruto watched from the side in shock as Sakura's hand started to glow. She waved her hand across his body, willing the bleeding to stop. Slowly, she was able to see his chest rising slowly as he breathed. She exhaled deeply and looked at Naruto, as if to say '_what's going on_?'

Naruto shrugged stiffly and on Kakashi's orders, picked up Sasuke's limp body and put him on his back. He was quite a bit lighter than Naruto had expected. He figured that Sasuke probably wouldn't have time to eat during training, or maybe even refused to eat. He made sure not to bounce too much because Sakura had said very sternly that there were still injuries that could be made worse because of it. They went straight to the hospital without anyone seeing them and took him into a private room. Sakura called Tsunade and Shizune and shooed Naruto out of the room.

Both Kakashi and Naruto waited anxiously outside the room for a word on Sasuke's condition, both pacing the hallway and glaring at any nurse that happened to walk by. It was about an hour later that Sakura finally let them into the room, telling them to keep their voices down.

Shizune was writing something down on a clip board by the end of the bed and Tsunade was leaning against the side of the wall with her eyes closed. There was a gentle _'beeping'_ in the background confirming Sasuke's pulse as he lay in the single bed in the room, unconscious. There were bandages across his forehead and a breathing mask over his nose and mouth.

Naruto stared at his former team mate and couldn't help wondering what happened to him. He had left Konoha seeking power and of all people, he went to Orochimaru. Had something gone wrong? It was too early for Orochimaru to try to take his body, yet something horrible must have happened for Sasuke to run away from Oto like _this_.

Kakashi put a hand on Naruto's shoulder and pointed over to Tsunade. She was motioning to his to step outside, holding the door open to show that Sakura was already outside. Reluctantly, Naruto left Sasuke's bedside and stood beside Sakura as the Hokage closed the door gently behind her.

"I know this is sort of sudden," she said, sympathy audible in her tone. "But I've chosen you two to go on a mission in Suna."

"But…" Naruto started.

"No buts," Tsunade told him sternly. "Gaara's been kidnapped by Akatsuki and Suna has called for Konoha's help." She sighed before she continued. "I know it's hard for you to leave now that Sasuke's back, but he needs time to recover anyway, and I'm sure he'll be ready to wake up by the time you get back."

Naruto wanted to argue but knew she was right. Beside him, Sakura nodded pathetically before announcing she had to prepare for the journey and hurrying down the corridor. Naruto took one last look at Sasuke's door and went to go prepare his own things, trying to keep his mind on Gaara and not on Sasuke, as hard as it was. Before he met Sakura and Kakashi at the village entrance, he quickly checked up on Sasuke. Tsunade shooed him out and told him that Sasuke's arrived was to be kept secret until they found out what happened to him, making Naruto even more anxious for Sasuke's awakening.

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(1) - How can a village be hidden in sound? Seriously, I don't think the maker of Naruto thought that one entirely through. 


	2. Awakening

Hey. Bista here again. I couldn't get the chapter to Mali for a long time so we agreed that she'll have to get it later and I'll upload it now. (she doesn't really know how and it's too weird to explain viva email) I'll get her to put her 2 cents worth here after she gets the chapter in document mode.

Yeah, you're probably really confused right now. You see, Mali typed this chapter out and sent it to me viva MSN. After that I edit it and USUALLY I'd then send it back to her, but editing took longer than we thought and she ended up leaving before I had a chance to send it back to her. Hence, we haven't been able to get on at the same time ever since then. If you're thinking something along the lines of, "Wow, the haven't ever met each other besides on MSN but have managed to start a story together," then you're wrong. We used to live in the same town and everything; we were best friends. My parents sold our company though, and I had to move. That was about... Geez, almost 2 years ago, but we manage to stay in touch.

You don't really care about our life stories though, you care about THIS story! I'll stop blabbing nonsense now to let you enjoy chapter 2: Awakening! (we couldn't really come up with any other name for it. Sorry!)

Oh! And chapters will (not might be, will) be a bit slow due to the end of the school year and the ton of homework you get. (or at least I do, and I'm the one typing out chapter 3) Sorry about that too! Now on with the chapter!

**NOTE:** We do **NOT** own Naruto, or any of the characters. The guy who made up Naruto does, but I forget his name right now.

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Chapter 2:

**Awakening**

When Naruto, Sakura and Kakashi returned from Suna their mission completed they walked into the hospital happily but anxious thinking that Sasuke would be sitting up waiting for them but as it turned out Sasuke was there still with the bandages on his head and a breathing mask still over his mouth. Their smiles dampened when they saw him. Sakura gasped and stopped dead in her tracks. Since she was trained in these areas she went over to his bedside.

"_This isn't right_," she thought. "_He should have been awake by now."_

"Sakura? Sakura are you all right?" Naruto asked when he noticed her face had suddenly gone paler than normal.

"Huh? Oh yeah I… I'm fine. I just…. I just thought that Sasuke would be looking better than this. His wounds are healing very slowly."

"Oh."

After that they were all very quite. Naruto started fidgeting after the first 2 minutes; Sakura checked and re-checked his wounds and blood temperature to make sure he was still alive and Kakashi who hadn't even spoken since they had entered the room just stood in the door way as if he were rooted to the ground, staring.

"Sorry, visiting hours are over I'm going to have to ask you to leave," a small imitated nurse told them.

"What?" Kakashi said as if suddenly her speaking unfroze him. "We aren't ready to leave yet." He started giving the nurse a frown. "I'm sorry but we haven't seen this boy for over 2 years. We aren't leaving. We're ninjas and we have the right to stay here as long as we want!" Kakashi finished startling his group for they had never seen him act like this.

"As you wish," replied the nurse and darted away from them as fast as she could.

"Well that went well," Kakashi said almost smiling.

"What do you mean?" Naruto asked still looking confused by his sensei's actions. "Did you _try_ to get her scared and leave?"

"Well, yeah" Kakashi looked over at his unconscious student. "_This really isn't like Sasuke. If this was he would be beating himself up inside thinking 'what the heck am I still doing unconscious? I should be training!' No, this isn't like him at all to stay like this. We were gone for over a week!" _Kakashi thought and ending with a slow exasperating sigh causing all two of his squad to look over at him.

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The next week passed and nothing else happened to Sasuke except that his cuts and burns were slowly healing. He still hadn't regained consciousness. But finally one last after noon he stirred. No one was in the room at that time so he just laid there because he was still unable to get up. But silently he made a gen-jutsu to cover his eyes then closed his then.

He woke the next morning when he heard some sort of tapping. Sasuke slowly opened his eyes and blinked, trying to adjust to the sun light. Then he moaned.

"Hey look! Sasuke's awake!" Naruto said but the volume of his voice was just below a yell. Sakura rushed over from her place at the window and helped Sasuke into a sitting/slouching position.

"How are you feeling?" Sakura asked when he was sitting.

"Hum… Oh…yeah _great,_" he replied, using a little too much sarcasm or at least enough to put a hurt look on Sakura's face. "Sorry… I didn't mean to… I didn't mean it like that."

"It's okay. Now let me take your blood temperature."

"Fine" said Sasuke after some urge to not let her. But right now he didn't have much choice. "_Well of course I don't I'm too weak, I drained from both chakra and stamina reserves." _

When Sakura had checked him over she carefully healed some of his cuts and bruises but didn't touch his face. Sasuke was very glad for this.

When Sasuke was able to breathe without the mask the Hokage permitted Sasuke to go and live with Naruto being he no longer had a home, Sakura's parents would never let her and Kakashi would be to busy with missions and stuff to look after him properly. So reluctantly Sasuke took his few belongings being weapons and spare set of clothes and was transported to Naruto's house.

All went well could be expected while Sasuke was staying with Naruto.

"What the hell are you doing?" Naruto asked Sasuke one evening when Sasuke had tipped over his glass of water.

"Nothing. I... I just don't feel good," Sasuke's replied half heartedly.

"Oh well watch it! Guess what Sasuke?"

"What?" Sasuke mumbled.

"Now you get to clean it up!" Naruto teased.

"Oh _goody,_" he said adding extra sarcasm to 'goody'. So Sasuke reached over for the dish cloth in Naruto's little sink but completely missed and hit his hand against the cupboard corner.

"Ouch! That really hurt," Sasuke said, then looked like he was examining his bleeding knuckles (but was he really?)

"Watch where you fling you hand then, idiot. Believe it!" Naruto laughed.

"Do you _still_ use that lame saying? _Believe It!_ You're _so_ pathetic," Sasuke commented but not even bothering to even looking up.

"Yes…well…hmm…" Naruto stammered, blushing slightly.

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The next week past very slowly for Sasuke being he had absolutely no strength and even more so when ever he did go out with Naruto he had to use Naruto's arm for support. Sasuke found that very annoying and embarrassing.

"Gosh are you _still_ that weak?" Naruto asked while they were going over to Kakashi's for a 'Welcome Back' type party but more just to see his squad together again. But he also had some personal questions he wanted to ask him about his eyes. Kakashi along with Sakura and Naruto had noticed that Sasuke wasn't healing properly and Kakashi wanted to know why. He also wanted to know about his seal that he put on after the Chuunin Exam and Orochimaru.

Fifteen minutes later they had arrived at Kakashi's door. When he opened the door he wasn't surprised to see Sakura fully dressed in uniform being she was an official medic-nin and Hinata dressed in her usual clothes. The first sight of Hinata surprised Naruto at first because she never really hung around Sasuke.

"Oh look Sasuke, Hinata here!" exclaimed Naruto.

A round of 'hellos' greeted his comment.

"Umm… Hi Hinata-chan, Sakura-chan," Sasuke muttered under his breath.

"Since when have you been someone to speak proper to us on a regular occasion?" questioned Sakura just wanting to tease Sasuke like the good old times.

But Sasuke just shrugged off her question and started to walk slowly into the room.

"Hell… Hi… Sas…Sasuke-kun," welcomed Hinata's small stuttering voice.

While Sasuke was walking in Naruto push him over to the side and practically bounded in. Sasuke stumbled over on of the five chairs and fell onto to the floor.

"Ow! Don't… just don't do that Naruto!" angered Sasuke.

Naruto and the others were laughing loudly but Sasuke didn't care. He just picked himself up and carried on to sit at the rectangular table Kakashi had set.

"_I knew it!" _thought Kakashi as he continued to peer at Sasuke through his one visible eye. "_I… I just can't really be true. Why didn't he tell us? Well, knowing Sasuke he wouldn't tell us anything unless Hokage ordered him to or unless he thought it was crucial for us to know. Well if I want my questions answered sometime tonight rather than a couple years if he intends to stay I'll have to keep on the better side of Sasuke until answered all of his questions."_

"So shall we eat?" asked Kakashi.

"Yeah, yeah! What are we eating!" Naruto yelled. "Is it ramen? Huh? Tell us! Is it?"

"No. Its curry or the best I could make I bought some ramen if you guys don't like it. I'm not really good at cooking as you two should know," stated the Jounin looking at Sakura and Naruto.

When he said this Naruto slumped down as far as he could while still being able to see over the table until Sakura said something.

"Thank God! I hate that ramen in a cup. It's… it's so… hmm… ar... yes that's the word! It's so _artificial_!"

"No it's not!" argued the blonde haired teen. "It's good food! As far as I'm concerned it's an entire different food group! So in _my _mind there are six different food groups!"

"What ever," Sasuke said and with that tone in his voice the argument clearly ended right there.

"Are you ok Hinata?" Sakura asked for she had not spoken since they had entered the room.

"Yes… good."

"Ok."

Sasuke got up or attempted to until he crumpled to the floor, holding his left shoulder. "_Urge! Not tonight! Ouch! Stupid, stupid, stupid curse seal!"_

"Sasuke are you alright?" asked Kakashi standing and rushing over this his side. And within ten seconds all three of them were beside Sasuke with worried expressions on their faces. Then Sasuke doubled over and was on the floor.

"Stupid, Curse Seal!" Sasuke managed to get out.

There was an element of pain that was not hidden in his voice. After a minute the pain subdued enough for the others to help him into his seat.

"What was that!" Naruto asked because he was not really accustomed to seeing Sasuke with the curse seal.

"It was my curse seal," answered Sasuke but when Naruto didn't answer he went on: "Orochimaru took your seal off just after I arrived at Oto. There's nothing you can do now; it won't go away."

"Oh, I see," responded Kakashi in a very dull board voice. "Ok, let's eat I'm starving!"

"Good!" "Yeah!" yelled Sakura with Naruto but they both made an effort to make it quieter than yelling at the top of their lungs.

The rest of the night passed as just talking and eating.

"Well, thanks Kakashi. I'll be going now," announced Sasuke, standing up.

"Ok. Bye Sasuke. Oh, Naruto you better go with him."

"What! OH fine!" pouted Naruto.

A good twenty minutes later they had arrived back at Naruto's. Sasuke headed right to the bathroom only stubbing his toe once while going through the door frame. That caused Naruto to start laughing and making Sasuke turn around and give him an expression that looked like '_shut up' _or '_I'll kill you when I'm better'_ and after that Naruto just let him be.

While Sasuke was in the shower he undid the illusion on his eyes, making them going back to their dark eye with no visible pupil.

When Sasuke came back into the bedroom another bed set against it he went as well as he could over to the far right bed only to get yelled at for when he sit down he sat right on top on Naruto.

"Hey what do you think you're trying to pull!"

"Oh, sorry," Sasuke apologized and then decided it would be better to move to the other bed.

After ten minutes neither of them had fallen asleep but Sasuke figured Naruto was. So since he couldn't have the gen-jutsu in too long he undid it and at that moment Naruto flicked on the light and then gasped.

"Ha! I knew it! I told them so! They didn't believe me but know I have proof."

"Huh, proof of what?" asked Sasuke trying to sound like nothing had gone wrong. "Nothing is wrong."

"Sure. What kind of illusion were you doing anyway!"

"What are you talking about?" but in truth Sasuke knew exactly what Naruto was getting at.

"You… you're…" Naruto then sighed slow and sympathetically then finished. "Sasuke, why didn't you tell us?" He sighed again but slower this time and paused before he continued. "Why? Why didn't you tell me, Sakura, Kakashi or all of us that… that…"

"Get on with it!" Sasuke snapped, getting annoyed with all of Naruto's cut up sentences.

"Ok" Naruto murmured Naruto after a very long pause.

"Why… why didn't you tell us?"

"Urge! I told you already! Get on with it! You've said that about a zillion times!"

When Naruto spoke this time his voice was in a whisper just loud enough for Sasuke to hear. "You're… blind!"


	3. Battle

Bista Here!

Okay! Chapter 3 is up! Only one teeny tiny problem - Chapter 4 won't be up for quite a while and when I say that, I mean it. Mali is at summer camp for a really long time without a laptop or anything, so even I can't do anything about it. You're all going to have to live with this chapter for a while.

I have just realized a major difference in our writing styles: Mali occasionly (can't spell, need spell check) uses stuff like -kun and -chan and that sort of stuff while I only use -san and -sama where I see aproppriate. MAJOR DIFFERENCE! You'll have to live with that too.

Hmmm... I've got nothing else to say. Oh yeah, SCHOOL'S OUT! It's been out for a long time now, but I just wanted to say that here for some really strange reason.XD Enjoy your summer as well as this chapter!

**Note**: We do **NOT** own Naruto or any of the characters. All we own is our plot and... yeah, our plot.

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Chapter 3:

Battle

An awkward silence followed Naruto's claim as Sasuke sat as still as a statue and stared unseeingly at the ground. Something between empathy and anger boiled up inside Naruto. How could Sasuke just sit there and act as if that he wasn't there? He was about to yell at him when he spoke.

"Yeah, I am blind. It doesn't really affect me that much though," Sasuke said softly, his voice barely audible.

Naruto snorted. "You've been bashing into things and hurting yourself ever since you got here. You call that no affect?"

"That's because I have to get use to Konoha's landscape again!" Sasuke half yelled, closing his eyes tightly. "It was different in Oto; I actually knew where things were there."

"Then why'd you leave?"

Sasuke stiffened as if he was dreading that question the most. He let his eyes relax as his expression changed from annoyed to gloomy. Naruto immediately regretted asking.

"Look, if you don't want to tell me, its fine," he said gently. "But how come you didn't tell us about… about being blind?"

"I wanted to do things on my own," Sasuke answered even quieter than Naruto. "I know you guys have been worrying about me for the past two-and-a-half years. I didn't want to be any more of a burden to you."

Naruto's eyes clouded with emotion. He didn't want Sasuke to suffer anymore with his questions but he just had so many of them. After a while Sasuke lay down again on his futon and stated he was going to sleep, clearly ending all conversation until morning. Naruto sat up much longer than him, trying to fit everything together. When at last he settled down for the night, he felt dizzy and sick with anticipation. How was he ever going to deal with this?

By first light Naruto had gotten over most of the shock, but Sasuke had decided he wasn't going to say a word. Throughout the morning, things were normal; well, as normal as they could be. Naruto was more conscious of Sasuke, however now that he looked at it, Sasuke _was_ perfectly capable of doing things on his own; maybe a little help here and there but nevertheless, okay. Since he wasn't aware that he had any missions that day, Naruto was able to watch Sasuke, however the other teen hardly did anything besides resting and eating. At about midday, Naruto gained enough courage to ask Sasuke a few more questions.

Sasuke was lying on the couch at the moment, his arms behind his head as a cushion. With his sightless eyes closed, Naruto wouldn't have been able to tell there was anything wrong; not that he could tell even when Sasuke had his eyes open.

"Sasuke…?" Naruto started, not sure if he was awake or not.

Sasuke answered with a grunt, not bothering to give any other indication of his presence. Naruto took a deep breath and continued.

"You use some sort of gen-jutsu to hide your blindness, don't you?" he asked timidly.

Sasuke sighed and sat up, opening his eyes and staring at Naruto. Naruto silently shivered; that's why he asked. How could Sasuke look at him if he was blind?

"Are you just noticing this?" Sasuke asked sarcastically. "Well duh I use a gen-jutsu. Wouldn't you?"

"Yeah, I've just never seen that one before," Naruto said in his own defence. "Is that why your injures haven't been healing as fast as they should be?"

Sasuke was silent for a moment. When he answered, Naruto could tell he thought the question was pointless.

"The illusion takes up a lot of chakra, as well as stamina," he explained slowly. "Usually it doesn't influence me too much, but because of my previous… injuries, it takes more of the energy I've regained in order to maintain it. If I were in Oto, you wouldn't have notices anything different about me."

"Then why did you le… I mean, if you got used to it once more, do you think you could become a ninja again?" Naruto stumbled, almost asking the same thing he did the night before.

Sasuke snorted. "I'm a ninja right now, idiot."

"Are not!" Naruto replied angrily. "You can barely walk on your own let alone jump from tree to tree, dodging kunai and shuriken as well as performing nin-jutsu."

"I'm better at it than you at least," Sasuke smirked.

"I've gotten better, seriously! The whole time you were gone I trained my but off with that perverted hermit Jiraiya."

"And that enhanced your battle skills a lot, didn't it?"

"It did!"

"I'm sure all it did was enhance your stupidity."

"Shut up!"

"Make me."

"How many fingers am I holding up?"

"Seven."

"How did you know?"

"I'm not stupid, unlike you. I can sense things that have chakra."

"I'm still better at fighting than you right now."

"Reeeaaally…? Well then, I challenge you to a fight. If I win, you have to leave me alone about my eyes."

Naruto was taken aback by the sudden challenge. A second glance at Sasuke told him he wasn't joking around. Swallowing hard, he thought about what damage he might cause to his friend, whose injuries acted up every now and then. Sasuke crossed his arms and grinned.

"Too chicken?" he teased.

"It's not that I'm scared," Naruto shot back. "It's that I don't want to hurt you."

"Then you can't possibly call yourself a ninja, can you?"

Once again, Naruto was lost for words. He was taught ever since he was little that in order to become a great ninja, you must try your hardest in everything, and that rule applied with fighting your friend as well. With courage building up inside him, he faced Sasuke with a different perspective.

"You're on, but I'm not holding back," he said, emphasizing on the fact he was going to do his best.

"Then I won't either," Sasuke said firmly.

With the battle decided, Naruto led Sasuke out of the apartment and headed toward the training area where they both became genin. No one saw them, or if they did, didn't care. Naruto made sure to take a different route so they wouldn't have to go past Sakura's, and did the same to avoid Kakashi's.

When they finally got there, Sasuke took his side in front of the memorial pillar (why Kakashi wasn't there was beyond anyone) and Naruto stood just in front of the three blocks of wood that he was once tied to. Naruto took a deep breath to calm himself while Sasuke let down his gen-jutsu and got into a fighting position.

"_Okay, as long as I don't hurt him too badly, he should be fine_," Naruto though, trying to reassure himself. "_What am I thinking! Even though he's blind, he'd be able to sense me if I was a mile away! Calm Naruto, just fight properly and purposeful and tell Sakura you were defending yourself if you end up killing him. Eh! What am I thinking! AHHH…!_"

While Naruto was freaking out, Sasuke was rather calm, able to sense Naruto's inner conflict from where he stood. He could feel his eyes become cross-eyed, but it didn't matter to him; All Sasuke could see was a never-ending void of darkness that had swallowed him long ago. It didn't even matter whether his eyes were open or closed, the same blackness met him.

"Ready Sasuke?" Naruto called, trying to sound confident.

Sasuke nodded and clenched his fists tighter. Naruto let out a tiny shudder when he looked at Sasuke's eyes. He knew Sasuke had to let down the illusion since it took up chakra, but it still looked weird nonetheless.

"Go!" he shouted, and ran at Sasuke fell speed.

Sasuke back-flipped onto the memorial pillar with his hands and pushed off it into the trees above. Naruto stopped short and cursed under his breath. Sasuke definitely had the upper hand right now, but with his injuries and blindness, he couldn't go far. Naruto doubled back and stood on the middle wooden post. Everything was silent save for the far off chirping of a bird. Nothing stirred, but Naruto knew Sasuke was watching him from somewhere… err, sensing him somewhere. There was a slinking movement below him and suddenly Naruto was aware of the wood slowly closing in around him. Startled, he jumped out of the way, just in time to see the last breathing hole close as the wood from the posts combined to form a cage.

"Sasuke's doing," Naruto muttered under his breath, his eyes darting in every direction.

"Don't rely on your sight too much Naruto," Sasuke voice said, but it seemed to be all around him. "You'll never find me that way."

Naruto closed his eyes, trying to pin-point Sasuke's location. He shouldn't know the forest too well anymore since he had been away from Konoha for so long. But if that was the logic in this case, neither should Naruto since he too was also away from Konoha for two and a half years. Naruto could hear a sound that was almost as if a thousand birds were chirping at once. Immediately, he made a clone and got a Rasengan ready. He turned around just in time to block Sasuke's Chidori with his own Rasengan. The two forces sent both teens flying in opposite directions.

As soon as Naruto got up, he was forced to block one of Sasuke's kicks. Sasuke grabbed his arm and flung him to the other side of the clearing. Naruto instantly went for his kunai and was just in time to block another attack from Sasuke. He quickly took out another kunai and flung it at Sasuke. Sasuke jumped out of the way and landed behind Naruto. Naruto made a dash for the other side of the clearing and produced a shadow clone to form another Rasengan.

Sensing Naruto's plan, Sasuke preformed the seals for another Chidori and ran at him. Naruto grinned as the two clones he had set up in the trees burst out with a Rasengan of their own and headed straight for Sasuke as the real Naruto and his Rasengan did the same. Just as they were all about to collide, Sasuke disappeared, sending both Naruto's crashing into each other. The clone disappeared and Naruto slowly got to his feet.

"He's way faster than before," Naruto took note, looking around and listening as hard as he could. "With that Chidori of his, I really should be able to hear him, but I can't hear a thing."

As if jinxing it, Naruto heard the Chidori behind him. Spinning around, Naruto jumped up into the air as Sasuke's Chidori fist smashed into the ground, creating a huge amount of dust. Naruto threw three kunai into the dust and sent two clones after them. No sooner had Naruto hit the ground than his clones came flying back, disappeared where they landed. A fireball blasted out behind them, heading straight for where Naruto was. The fire engulfed Naruto and burned him to a crisp. The next moment, he disappeared. Sasuke ran past the fire and stared unsighted at where Naruto had been.

"A clone," he muttered, turning around to sense out where the real one was.

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Sakura was beginning to get worried. She had gone over to Naruto's to see how Sasuke was doing but no one was home. Kakashi had come with her and now Pakkun was trying to find a trail as to where they might have gone. His little nose twitched as he sniffed the ground, moving a couple paw-steps every once in a while.

"I'm sure they're fine," Kakashi whispered to her seeing as she was on the verge of tears. "They probably just went out for some fresh air, that's all. What's got me worried is why Naruto didn't invite us along."

Just then, Pakkun barked warningly and took off across the street. Sakura and Kakashi followed, catching up in a matter of seconds. They tore down the streets of Konoha until they came to forest land and grass. But still Pakkun ran on, seemingly headed to an unknown destination. Only when he stopped did Sakura understand where Naruto and Sasuke had gone. They had gone to the very place they had all become genin.

"I don't believe it…" Kakashi muttered beside her.

That's when Sakura finally tuned into what was going on. The ground under her feet was either turned up or burned and there were kunai here and there. And in the centre of it all, two figures lay off in the distance, both hardly moving. Sakura screamed and ran over as soon as she recognized the navy-blue top of Sasuke and the orange suit of Naruto. Kakashi was right behind her as Pakkun disappeared without word.

"Sasuke, can you hear me?" Sakura asked desperately as she crouched down beside him. "Sasuke? Please answer…"

"I'm fine… Sakura…" Sasuke said weakly, trying to sit up. "Just a bit… bruised, that's all."

"Hey Naruto, are you alright?" Sakura ask, shaking him slightly.

"Yeah, yeah, I'm fine," Naruto mumbled, sitting up and rubbing his eyes. "Sheesh Sasuke, I thought you could only do two of those stupid Chidori's per day."

"Well I didn't just sit around while I was in Oto," Sasuke retorted, redoing his genjutsu quickly while Sakura wasn't watching. "I can do a total of five each day."

"You mean you guys were fighting!" Sakura asked in disbelief. "I can't believe you two! Sasuke's still recovering and you guys want to fight!"

"Sasuke started it!" Naruto protested. "He said that if he won I would have to stop bugging him about being blind"

"You're blind!" Sakura asked wide eyed at Sasuke. "Why didn't you tell us?"

"How many times have I heard _that_?" Sasuke muttered.

"Wasn't it sort of obvious Sakura?" Kakashi said, stepping to join the teens.

"Well… I…" Sakura stuttered. "I… I thought he was just unbalanced. I didn't think he was _blind_…"

"Well I am and there's nothing more to say about it," Sasuke concluded, standing up and brushing the dirt off his clothes. "Naruto and I tied so I guess that means the deals are off."

"You tied with him Naruto?" Kakashi wondered. "Even though he can't see? Geez, I thought Jiraiya was training you in ninja techniques, not peeping."

"Shut up," Naruto shouted, jumping up. "He just got lucky, got it?"

"Did you just admit Jiraiya taught you how to peep?" Sasuke asked curiously.

"He did not!"

"Or did he…" Sakura teased. "You're getting so worked up about it; it's a wonder how he would have trained you otherwise."

"I said shut up!"

"No, you told me to shut up about Sasuke tying with you."

"Well now I'm telling all of you to shut up!"

Sasuke smiled inwardly. He had been beginning to wonder if things would ever be back to normal in Konoha, or if he'd ever fit in again. If he let his mind forget the time difference, things were exactly the same as they had always been. He turned to leave, heading in the direction he and Naruto had come from, his comrades right behind him. Sakura stumbled to get beside him, to support him if he needed it.

"You know, I can probably heal your eyes if you want me to," she said softly. "I've been training with Tsunade-sama to be a medic-nin."

"Even Kabuto couldn't do anything," Sasuke said in the exact same tone. "Don't worry about it, okay?"

"What happened though?"

"I don't want to talk about it."

"Will you at least tell me in this lifetime?"

Sasuke chuckled slightly. "'I swear by the name of Uchiha that I will tell you why I'm blind one day.' That good enough for you?"

Sakura giggled. "Yeah, that's fine."

Elsewhere in Konoha, Tsunade was looking through the Hokage's gazing ball, watching her apprentice and her team mates. More specifically, she was wondering what to do with Sasuke.

"Something even Kabuto couldn't fix huh," she muttered to herself. "Kabuto is almost as good as me, so was it he couldn't or didn't have the orders to?"

"Something wrong Tsunade-sama?" Shizune asked, Tonton in her arms.

"Shizune, we're going to be studying blindness for a while," Tsunade ordered. "We need to find out certain jutsu that might cause blindness or other reasons."

"Wha… why?"

"Because I fear that there may be a serious problem in Konoha that everyone else is overlooking greatly… I just hope I'm wrong…"


	4. Chapter 4

**First Notes (or Authors Notes, what ever)**

**Bista:** Sorry people. That line thingy that makes a really long line isn't working right now, so this is going to have to do. Anyway, chapter 4 is up. It's named for the little bits of Oto that we get to see.(_wink, wink_)

With any luck, you'll hear from Mali for the first time (that is, if we can get on the computer at the same time which could very well take forever and I apoligize in advance for that)

Yeah, Sasuke's going to seem a little Ooc in this chapter, so be warned. Oh, and I only just found out what that means, (yeah, I'm stupid, got a problem with that?) so if anyone doesn't know what it means (because I hate using something someone doesn't understand but I'm sure everyone knows anyway) it means 'out of character'. Yeah, there was probably no point to that.

Anywho, it's my turn to type out chapter 5, but I'm going on vacation on the last two weeks of August and then school starts (for me) so... yeah, it might take me a while to get that one out. Also, I'm going to an Anime Convention (Anime Evolution 2006) so I don't have any time that weekend, so... again, it's probably going to take me quite a while. Once again, I apoligize in advance.

I really do talk to much, don't I? Mali's turn!

**Mali** here. This is my first time typing out things before the story starts so it might completly suck who knows. I wrote chapters 2 and 4 and will be typing out every other even number.

Just as a warning off hand since school will be starting next month I'll be quie busy. You know with homework, piano, field hockey and gymanstics and stuff that takes up huge chuncks of the day. The chapters in the school year will be reasonably slower.

This is my first time acctually uploading a chapter too.

Since our family doesn't have T.V. (yes we live without the t.v. we only have DVD's and videos) I am kind of stuck on everyone's actions and personality's before Sasuke went off to Sound. I know what happened I just can't seem to get it into my head when I'm typing so be patient I will eventually (that is a BIG eventually). So on that matter the only episodes I know really well are 1-15.

According to Bista I like to type nonsense. That was new to me, so I guess that's kind of my style. We try our best to have the writing content me relativly the same so hope we don't get you too confused. On the with chapter!

**Chapter 4:**

**A Plan**

"What's wrong?" Kabuto asked Orochimaru. Kabuto had been on a mission in Sound so he had not heard of Sasuke's disappearance.

"Sasuke's gone," the Snake slowly said a smirk appearing on his face. An unnaturally long tongue lolled out, but Kabuto had gotten used to it by now.

"Really? But, how did he get away?" asked a disbelieving Kabuto.

"It doesn't matter right now…"

"What? Why not...?"

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"I found it!" triumphantly said Tsunade to Jiraiya who looked at her through confused eyes.

"Found what? Is there something you have been neglecting telling me?"

"No, well kind of. Shizune and I have been looking up blindness for a couple of weeks. We haven't found anything but last night I remembered a book I had read a few years ago on bringing back sight to people who are blind."

"What purpose does this serve?" Jiraiya asked. He still hadn't clued in that there might be a very important meaning to all this.

"Well, did you hear of Naruto fighting Sasuke two weeks back?"

"Yeah."

"Did you hear who won the fight?"

"No."

"Good," smirked a clearly amused Tsunade, getting ready to tell the ridiculously hard to believe story.

"So, who won?"

"They were both lying on the ground when Sakura and Kakashi found them in the training grounds where they became Genin. They've seemed to take a liking to that particular spot; I have absolutely no idea why..."

"Go on..." Jiraiya said, beckoning her to continue.

"Okay; from what I've heard, Sasuke and Naruto made some kind of deal: that if Sasuke won Naruto had to stop teasing him about being blind and Sasuke agreed to... oh I don't know."

"Just hurry up!" The other shinobi said, clearly starting to get annoyed with all the hold backs from hearing the victory of Naruto (well, so he thought Naruto would win. Who wouldn't? Everyone who knew Sasuke was blind would have guessed that since he couldn't see that Naruto would win).

"Okay, okay. Well, to continue what I was saying, the bargains were called off."

"Huh? Why would they do that? Didn't Naruto kick Sasuke's butt?"

"Not really."

"But I've been training him! Teaching him everything I know! Okay well, not _everything_ but close to it!"

"Hold it. I don't think you understand."

"Fine, tell me what I don't understand then."

"Over the years Sasuke's been gone, he has developed a chakra sensing ability so high, I don't even think I could match it. That almost makes up for being blind. They told each other that they wouldn't go easy on each other and would give the fight everything they have."

"Go on..."

"He also showed jutsu I've never seen. Sasuke can't use the Sharingan, but he has been able to boost the use of the Chidori to five instead of two."

"Really? That's all well and dandy, but who won?"

"Well, the way it turned out, they tied," Tsunade finished, waiting for a reaction from the other ninja standing opposite to her in the library.

"What, they tied!" Jiraiya shouted, amazed that Naruto could tie with a blind ninja.

"What I mean is that they didn't finish; Naruto couldn't beat Sasuke and Sasuke couldn't beat Naruto. Sasuke's amazing being he's blind. From Naruto's injuries it even looks like the Kyuubi got out too. Sasuke has grown enormously over this time period and imagine how strong he would be if he gets his sight back. That would be scary, a ninja of his strength running around with someone like Naruto. Still, if he does get his sight back he'll be able to use the Sharingan and I want to know if he has the Mangekyou yet (1). But let me look something up in this book, about the surgery on his eyes."

"Okay, I'll just sit over there and look at some books."

After a half hour passed, Tsunade finally found the part of the book she was looking for.

"I found it!"

"Oh, finally! You know, you could've used the index. You know, that part of the book, the last few pages...? It tells you where to find things."

"Yeah, I checked and it wasn't under there."

"Okay, well then what did you find."

Tsunade's expression immediately hardened then went soft and sad. "The operation on his eyes will be difficult to do and if his eyes _do_ heal normally he only has a 30 chance of living through the operation and a 70 of not living. That's the part I'm worried about."

"So, do you think we should go into surgery or not?"

"I don't know. I guess I'll tell Sakura to ask Sasuke if he would be willing to risk his life for the operation. Then she can report back to me."

"Okay, let's try this. I sure hope it works."

"It will or it better. I hope it works too."

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A little while later, Sakura had been told by Tsunade that Sasuke would only have a 30 chance of living through the operation and that even if he did make it though the surgery they still wouldn't know if his eyes would go back to normal. At this news, poor Sakura had almost dissolved into tears in Hokage's office.

"_Come on Sakura, pull your self together," _she thought semi-calmly_. "All you have to do is go tell Sasuke that they might be able to give him back his sight but the only has a small chance of living. I can do this. You don't want to look like a fool in front of Sasuke anyway, do you!"_

"Hey, Sakura are you okay?" asked a blonde shinobi. Sakura had completely forgotten that she was already at the meeting spot and she guessed that her expression looked sad.

"Hmm… yeah, I'm fine," she lied to her comrade. "I just… well, is Sasuke here yet?"

"Nope, and that's kind of strange for him to be late. I mean, he's never been late before has he?"

"Well no, but if you looked at the time, you would have figured out that there is still five minutes until the time we were supposed to be here."

"Oh, really? My bad; besides, knowing Sasuke he usually arrives right on time."

"Yeah, that's him all right"

"Are you by any chance talking about me?" asked a very bored looking Sasuke. Looking into the tree above them they saw the dark haired shinobi with a horrible injury decorating his left cheek.

"Sasuke are you all right!" cried a bewildered Sakura.

"What in the world did you do to your face?" Naruto shouted.

"Oh, that…" after a half a minute of silence he continued. "I, uh, I was running… yeah that's it… I was running... actually, I was jumping from tree to tree when I hit a branch on the tree and fell. Nothing of great concern, really."

"How could a tree do that?" exclaimed Naruto, who was confused at how the mark got there. "It looks like a piece of skin has a been cut out and look: there's two small hole thingies in the middle." Naruto didn't believe that Sasuke got the mark from the tree and never would.

"_I want to get the truth about so many things; all of these things about Sasuke like why he didn't try to find Itachi and figure out if Itachi massacred the Uchiha Clan to get a higher Sharingan thing or if there was a more personal matter. Why doesn't Sasuke like to smile? Maybe because... oh who knows!"_

"Yeah, sorry Sasuke but I don't think a tree could have done that to you," the blonde pouted. "There must be a different reason that you're not telling us. You don't have to lie just tell us, I mean seriously, it really looks like it's hurting you. It looks like animal took it out."

"Fine… I'll tell you..." cringing, Sasuke's arm moved up to where his cursed seal was.

"Sasuke is you cursed seal acting up again?" asked Sakura who was wandering over to see more of Sasuke's shoulder. "Sasuke, its surfaced! What happened!"

"Well, it acts up when I summon snakes and when I sense Orochimaru."

"Oh, you mean the jerk who gave you the cursed seal in the first place?"

"Yeah. In the woods. I thought it'd be faster if I just cut through the forest but it's hard for me to sense snakes since I was around them so much in Oto. I summoned one last week because I thought I sensed Orochimaru's chakra so the snake was supposed to try and find it but on the way here a different summoned snake that wasn't mine... well, it attacked me."

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"So how did the 'finding Sasuke' go?" Kabuto asked his employer causally.

"Fine," the snake Sannin said over the scroll he was looking at. "I just wanted to know exactly where he was at that precise moment in time."

"I see... what are you working on now?"

"Well, you see... Kabuto... I have _a plan_."

Kabuto was confused. "Don't you always have some kind of plan up your sleeve?"

"Be quiet you moron, I'm trying to concentrate!"

"Well, _sorry!_"

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"You're LATE!" yelled Team Kakashi (minus Sasuke) as their sensei entered the training grounds three hours and forty-five minutes late.

"Well you see I well… umm…" Kakashi lamely started.

"Let me guess: you were helping an old lady?" Naruto exaggerated.

"You crossed a black cat on the way here and had to take the long way?" added Sakura snickering when Kakashi turned to her and gave her a glare that seemed to say, "_shut up you idiots! I have a perfectly, legitimate reason for being late"._

"Or you just plainly slept in and didn't feeling like getting up and showing common courtesy to other people?" Sasuke said, his voice cold and under control but did Kakashi detect something else? Did the Uchiha's emotionless mask-like-face show pain? Sasuke was sitting under the shade of a tree but his arm was over the spot of his cursed seal.

"Hey Sasuke, you okay?" asked Kakashi, walking over the boy.

"Fine," came the impassive response.

"I see..." Well that's just like Sasuke. He's obviously in pain but he decides to completely ignore it and pretends to other people that he's fine and he just feels like putting his hand on his shoulder.

"Stop lying Sasuke!" Naruto cut in. "Just before Kakashi-sensei got here you were telling us why you got the mark on your face and that it surfaced again and that you were attacked by one of Orochimaru's snakes because you can't detect them or Orochimaru, right?" Naruto finished with a slow exhaling sigh.

"Shut up Naruto! Could we just start training?"

"Sure, but don't you want to know why I was late?" Kakashi questioned them for he had a good reason this time. The others grumbled an okay. "_Okay, I'll stall for a little awhile longer just to make sure Sasuke's cursed mark doesn't get father out of control and get completely out if he ends up sparring with Naruto."_

"Well, I was walking to Hokage's office to drop off the report of our training and she said that she thinks that it's incredible that you, Sasuke, can move, as in dodge kunai and such with... well, your _disability_ shall we say? Oh yeah, one more thing, she asked me to ask you Naruto: did the Kyuubi get out during the fight?"

"Well…" Naruto hesitantly answered "Yes, but not much..."

"So the chakra was his. It didn't feel like yours."

Sakura didn't pay much attention to the conversation. She was too busy worrying about how to approach Sasuke about the matter at hand and to top that off he wasn't really himself today. Searching his face for some small amount emotion to appear, she decided he looked like he was in pain but she already knew that. What else?

Meanwhile Sasuke was also having trouble focusing on what was being said. His head ached from the bite on his face. His curse mark was really starting to hurt and today wasn't the best of his life. In fact, it was in memory of one of the worst.

"Hokage figures that if she can find some way of getting Sasuke's sight back, he'll most likely be stronger than you or even me when your Sharingan matures and all."

"What? That's so unfair!" Naruto suddenly shouted "Stupid Uchiha Clan; why do they have stupid special jutsu they can do and I'm stuck with having trouble learning any kind of jutsu? It just _so_ unfair, BELIEVE IT!"

"What is it with you and 'Believe it?" Kakashi asked his voice back to being bored.

"Sasuke… Sasuke…" Naruto said, waving his hand in front of Sasuke's face. "...Sasuke! Are you paying attention or not!"

"Huh? Yeah, I'm listening," Sasuke lamely answered, shaking his head slightly.

"Sure you were," Naruto teased. "Stop staring into space, you idiot!" the blonde shinobi snapped at him but wished he could take those words back. The stare the raven haired Uchiha gave him made Naruto feel lower than the dirt.

"Sorry," he muttered, not bothering to take his eyes of the ground.

"Whatever."

After clearing his throat, the silver haired ninja decided to break the silence. "So to continue what I was saying, she thinks that she found, well, let's say _instructions_ for surgery that may be able to bring back your eyesight."

Thinking that he misunderstood his sensei, he asked if that were really true and Kakashi laughed, reassuring Sasuke that yes, he was sure of what he said. Hope welled up inside of him and Sasuke actually gave a small smile that was barely visible but Naruto caught it and gave a huge toothy grin.

"No Sasuke-kun! Don't go under the surgery!" Sakura yelled, unable to contain herself any longer. "Tsunade-sama said that I was to tell you that the surgery will make you un-blind. But even then your eyes may not return to normal and you'll only have a 30 chance of living through the operation!" Sakura finished. She couldn't bear to have her precious Sasuke die.

"I... don't know," Sasuke admitted. "I have to think about it. Tell her that I'll get back to her when I've decided what I'll do," the Uchiha stated. His tone sending telepathic-like messages that the conversation about his eyes was to end there. He absolutely HATED having to talk about being blind.

"O-okay" Sakura plainly answered, unsure of how to react.

"So… so umm what kind of training are we doing today? You haven't told us yet!" Naruto impatiently demanded, completely changing the subject much to everyone's relief.

"Well today I thought that we could just brush up on some chakra control skills."

Quite annoyed Sakura and Naruto yelled out '_again_' in unison.

"Yes _again_. But today, instead of running at the tree like I taught you in Wave Country, you'll be starting at the bottom of the tree."

"What, you mean we can't run at it?" Naruto yelled.

"Yes."

"What, you're kidding right?" Sakura asked in disbelief. "We could barley do this while running! Well, I could, but what about Naruto and Sasuke? How do you expect them to do it again, let alone walking?"

"Too bad for them then," Kakashi smirked, keeping his voice rather dull.

At the end of training all three ninjas had made it to the top. Naruto had a bruise on his head and shoulder from falling and Sasuke and Sakura only had a few scrapes from how they landed or scraped against the tree.

"Kakashi-sensei, how did we do today?" Naruto asked eagerly. "Come on, tell me!"

"Well to tell you the complete truth Naruto, you did very well on the exercise."

"Yay me! Hey, where's Sasuke going?"

Team seven's blind team mate was slowly walking away from the group, his head lowered but his hand still clasping his shoulder. Now everyone was suspicious.

"Well, let's see shall we?" Kakashi said slyly as he put his finger to his mouth and motioned for Sakura and Naruto to follow him.

About twenty minutes later they arrived in front of the Uchiha Compound gates and saw Sasuke head toward the cemetery farther in.

Kakashi cursed under his breath and slapped his forehead with the palm of his hand. "It's that day again isn't it? I can't believe I completely forgot!"

"Huh? Forgot what?" Naruto asked, still completely clueless.

"Well, do you remember just after we came back from the Wave Country when Sasuke said he was going for a walk?" Naruto shook his head but Kakashi continued anyway. "Well do you remember that Sasuke didn't come back till late that night? We were worried that something might have happened because he told us he was going on his walk in the early morning and ended up missing lunch and dinner? Well when he got back I kind of demanded from him to tell me where he had been and do you know what I found out?"

"No."

"Well, apparently, he had gone to the Uchiha Cemetery meaning…"

"Meaning _what_?"

"Today is the day Sasuke's clan, Uchiha, were all murdered by Sasuke's only still living relative, Uchiha Itachi, exactly six year ago. Sasuke comes here every year to pay his respects to his deceased family. I'd bet even when he was with Orochimaru, he came here secretly."

"You mean he doesn't live here?"

"No, he doesn't live in the Uchiha Compound."

"Oh," Naruto quietly said. "_So that's why Sasuke was so quiet during training today," _Naruto thought to himself. "Is this why Sasuke wants revenge on his clan so badly? To kill his brother and avenge his parents?"

"Yes, are you only just getting this now?" Kakashi asked, sarcasm hinting in his tone. "_Gosh Naruto, in all your days of being around Sasuke did you never clue in to that Sasuke may be a double orphan (2) too? That he wasn't just the plain, skilled, popular kid that everyone saw on the outside?"_

"Well you see… I, umm…" Naruto started only to be cut off by the man with the messed up hair cut.

"Shh! Naruto be quiet! Look over there" said Kakashi, kneeling beside him beckoning to where Sasuke was.

"What? Oh, he's crying..."

-------------------------------------------------------------

Back in Oto...

"I got it!" Orochimaru started with the sound of triumph in the Snake's voice.

"Huh? Got what Master?" asked Kabuto, not having the slightest clue what the Snake was talking about.

"Well you see… I have a marvellous, stupendous, flawless plan!"

"Don't you always?" The ninja asked, making it sound like more of a statement that a question. Kabuto pushed his glasses back up to the bridge of his nose as he said this as they slipped down his nose quit often.

"Didn't I tell you to shut up?"

**Last Notes (or Authors Notes, what ever you want to call it):**

(1) - Tsunade doesn't know what you have to do to get the Mangekyou Sharingan, therefore it's natural that she thinks Sasuke might have it. Or does he have it...

(2) - Taken from ArimaSkitty's _'Two Brothers'_. It simply means that someone that has been orphaned and then put in an adopted family or something, and then gets orphaned from them. If I was to put it any more simplier, it means someone that has been orphaned twice. Any of you smart people out there know what a triple orphan would mean?


	5. Decision

**Bista:** No, I'm not dead... but thank you for the pretty roses everyone!

But really, the 'super-long-time-to-update' is really my fault. I was suppose to write this chapter, and I... uhhh... If I say I forgot, are you guys going to kill me? (-sweat drops-) Please don't, because I told the truth... That's got to count for something, doesn't it? (-offers **MY** roses as peace treaty-)

Anyway, the plot is really moving along now. But, honestly...? We/I have no clue where this is going... aheh... Plus, this chapter is really short... ish... ummmmmmmmmm... yeah. Sorry? (-sweat drops again-) Well, be happy, Mali's writing the next chapter. She usually types it out fast than me _and_ she makes them longer. So quit your whinning would you?

**Mali: **Hey there readers. I'm not sure how this next chapter is going to turn out. I still have to plan out how everything for Sasuke will work out (opps), well and I also have NO idea where this story if going so just hang with us.

End terms for school are coming up so I'll most likely be studing in my spare time. I'll do my best. Happy reading!!!

Disclaimer: ... Owning Naruto we are not. Owning plot we are indeed. Read the chapter you must now... Got to stop watching star wars...

* * *

Chapter 5:

Decision

It was a perfect day in Konoha, beautiful even. The kind of day that makes you feel all warm and fuzzy inside. The sun was shining and there wasn't a cloud in sight. (Poor Shikamaru) No one had any missions today so everyone was free to do whatever they wanted. It was the best day of everyone's life…

Okay, I lied. It was a horrible day in Konoha. The clouds were so thick you couldn't tell if it was night or day. Plus, it was raining sleet, making going outside the last thing you wanted to do before you died. It was true, however, in that no one had any missions. No visitors wanted to walk around in this weather, so no one had given the Hokage any mission requests. It was the kind of day that made you feel all bored and tired inside, a really very gloomy and atrocious day. Just the kind of day you'd catch an Uchiha outside.

Sasuke was at a training ground at the far edge of the Hidden Village practicing throwing projectiles. Normally, he wouldn't be able to see due to his hair covering most of his face, but when you're blind, you aren't really affected by those kinds of things. Besides, he wasn't really concentrating on whether he hit the target or not. Training was just a way to help him think. Kakashi had brought up a very hopeful proposition, but at the same time, Sakura had told him that he would only have a thirty percent chance of living through it, plus he might not even get his eyes back to normal at all.

Sasuke was throwing the kunai harder now, getting frustrated. The thought of not being blind anymore was always a good thought, but what Sakura had told him kept coming back to him, daring him to decline. However if he didn't at least _try_, news of his eyes would spread throughout the village and pretty soon, it would reach Ino, and that was something he was having trouble coping with.

It was just after that thought that he fell face-first into the mud, soaking him even more than he already was, if that was possible.

"_Why is it this kind of thing always happens to me when I start thinking about girls?_"

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Naruto was somewhere on the boarder of boredom and panic. Boredom for obvious reasons and panic because Sasuke was gone and he had no idea where he was. Sakura was going to spaz at him if he so much as caught a cold, and he was dreading what was going to happen if Sasuke never even came back. Weren't his actions being observed by ANBU?

"Darn it, Sasuke! Why do you always have to be like this?!" Naruto yelled to no one, but at the same time, he was actually yelling at someone.

"What happened _now_ Naruto?" Kakashi asked, poking his head in the window. "Loose Sasuke?"

"Gack! Kakashi-sensei! What are you doing here? Better yet, how'd you open that window from the outside?"

"Those are all great questions," Kakashi said sarcastically, climbing inside. "However, you still haven't answered _my_ question: Did you loose Sasuke?"

Naruto looked at the ground. "Yes," he admitted. "But it wasn't my fault. I mean, what kind of guy gets up before seven o'clock in the morning to go outside somewhere?"

"Lots of people," the silver-haired jounin stated simply. "Many people have jobs that force them to get up before seven. Most of the kids in the Academy have to get up before seven to get to school on time. When or if you become a jounin, you'll have to get up before seven. If you get a mission-"

"I get the point Kakashi-sensei."

"You do?"

"Yeah, I do."

"Well, what do you think Sakura?"

"I think I'm going to kill him for losing my precious Sasuke!"

"Eeck! How did you get in here Sakura?"

"Same way as Kakashi-sensei."

"Why is it so easy for people to get into my house?!"

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"Kabuto," Orochimaru beckoned. "Tell the troops we'll be putting operation 'Snake Attack' into action in exactly forty-eight hours from now."

"Of course Orochimaru-sama," the bespectacled boy said smoothly, backing out the door.

"One more thing," the snake Sannin said. "I'm putting you in charge of bringing back the target. If you fail, you may lose your life…"

Kabuto gulped quietly. "Of course, Orochimaru-sama. I wouldn't want it any other way."

"I have faith in you Kabuto," he went on. "Don't let me be wrong."

Kabuto wasn't really listening anymore. He was out the door and halfway down the hallway by now. Heading for his lab, he thought quickly of what exactly he would say. The ninja Orochimaru had chosen were very skilled, but were rather… dense. Using too big of words would confuse them and then the whole plan would fail.

The plan was simple however: Invade Konoha, take out the Hokage, kill a bunch of people, get Sasuke, and leave. He had analyzed each of the jounin's abilities that had gotten in their way last time, so he had assigned certain groups with certain abilities to take out certain jounin. He had also found the shelter where they had hid all the common people in, so there would be a few groups that would enter through the back and take them out. It was flawless. As long as no one on their side underestimated anyone, they could finish the plan without too many fatalities on their side.

He opened the doors to the meeting area, making sure he made enough noise for all the ninja inside to hear. Who he saw below him looked like a bunch of useless teenagers; however their abilities and power outmatched even his. He walked over to the edge of the railing, closely checking all eyes were on him before he started to speak.

"Honoured guests in Oto," he began, hoping he didn't sound too desperate. "Orochimaru-sama has given the order that we are to start operation 'Snake Attack' on Konoha in exactly forty-eight hours from now. I ask that you follow the plan carefully and with your full power. Leave no survivors and make sure to follow your captain. Understood?"

"Yes sir!" they all replied simultaneously and somewhat robotically.

Kabuto nodded. "Off with you then. I will join you soon."

Once the signal had been given the hired shinobi disappeared as if they had not been there to begin with. The bespectacled boy let out a sigh of relief. He had honestly expected them to turn on him for giving orders, and he was quite happy to know they weren't as ruthless as he had seen them.

He pushed his glasses back up his nose and returned to his 'lab' to finish the paralysis injection he had been working on before Orochimaru had called him. He knew very well Sasuke could get around on his own, and with the amount of time that had gone by, his injuries should have completely healed. Orochimaru agreed that the only way anything would work was if he was unconscious or couldn't move. The injection was something of a back up plan.

"So long as Orochimaru-sama doesn't come up with yet another plan, I should be fine," he thought out loud.

"Kabuto! Come and hear my new great plan!"

Kabuto simply rolled his eyes and continued working.

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Back in Konoha, the sleet had stopped coming down and had been replaced with normal rain. Besides the sound of splitter splatter of the falling water, there were sounds of louder splashes as Sakura, Naruto and Kakashi searched for their team-mate. Sakura and Naruto had agreed on where'd they'd look, but Kakashi simply headed out on his own without a word.

He headed over to the farthest edge of Konoha's boundaries, where a small but effective training ground resided. He found just what he was looking for there, his back against a leafless tree as if willing it to give some coverage from the rain. His eyes stared off into some unknown world and kunai were scattered here and there. It was almost a pitiful sight. Kakashi took one more step forward and Sasuke jerked back into reality.

"What do you want?" he asked coldly. (Tone-wise that is. Sasuke's body had gone numb long ago.)

"You're distance of chakra sensing is quite far," Kakashi commented, as he was almost fifteen metres away from the youth. "You shouldn't just run off like that. Everyone's quite worried."

"Well, they shouldn't be," Sasuke snapped back. "I can take care of myself."

"That's what you'd like to think, isn't it," Kakashi replied sadly. "Whether or not you choose to believe me, you're blind, and no matter whom you are or were, you need to be helped."

Sasuke turned away, refusing to look in the direction of his sensei. He knew he spoke the truth, but Uchiha refuse to be told what to do. It's just in their blood.

"I still think I can take care of myself just fine," he muttered under his breath without Kakashi hearing. In a more audible voice, he said, "So why are you really here?"

"Sakura and Naruto are running around the village right now looking for you," Kakashi explained, moving to sit beside Sasuke. "They completely freaked out when they found out you were gone."

"Are they… really _that_ worried about… me?" Sasuke choked, staring blankly at the ground in front of him.

The older man sighed sadly. So that's what this was about. He knew that if Sasuke had grown up anything like Obito, then he wouldn't have been given any real attention as a kid. Not only that, but he had had an older brother to complicate things.

He put a hand on his shoulder, and kindly said, "Let's head back now."

Sasuke shook his head. "I'm going to the Hokage's office."

Kakashi's eye widened in surprise but nodded nevertheless and helped Sasuke to his feet.

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"Sasuke! Sasuke, where are you?" Sakura called into the pouring rain.

She had gone to look around the Hokage faces, trying to get a view of the entire village, which wasn't working out very well in the rain. Naruto had gone to look around the academy and work backwards from there, and Kakashi… well, she didn't really know where Kakashi went. From her own experiences, it was best not to question Kakashi's motives.

"Sakura!"

She turned to see Naruto running up next to her, bending over to catch his breath and drenched in rain just as she was.

"Sakura… Kakashi… Sasuke… Granny Tsunade's office…"

Sakura took the hint and, grabbing the blonde's arm, took off toward the Hokage's office. Once near the outside of the building, she flashed her pass to the guards and ran inside, letting go of Naruto's arm. Doors flew past them as they ran down the halls, bumping into people at random. Sakura vaguely heard Naruto telling her to stop, to slow down at the very least, but she ignored him.

She had waited too long; worked too hard to _not_ worry about Sasuke. She was sure the whole of team seven was going to catch pneumonia because of this. She didn't care. Looking after Sasuke and making sure he was alright was her number one priority at the moment.

"Whoa, Sakura, slow down!"

Sakura finally came to a halt right before she crashed into Shizune. The older woman was carrying her notepad as always and Tonton was on her head, but her face was screwed up in confusion. Naruto came to a stop beside her, bending over and panting.

"Just where are you going in such a hurry?" Shizune asked, Tonton backing her up with a snort.

"To Tsunade's office," Sakura stated plainly, not a trace of tediousness in her voice. "Naruto said Sasuke and Kakashi were there.

"Hey… hold on a moment…" Naruto panted. "I never said… they were there…"

"But then what were you saying?" Sakura half shouted, embarrassed now.

"Kakashi and Sasuke… just told me to go… to Tsunade's office after… I found you," the blonde tried to explain. "I don't know if… their actually there… Sheesh Sakura! How can you… not be tired?!"

Sakura ignored the question and began running again; smiling slightly as she heard Naruto groan and Shizune take off after her. She burst through the doors of the Hokage's office and came to a hurried stop, spraying whoever was in front of her with rain. Poor Kakashi…

"Sakura! Naruto! Took you long enough to get here," Tsunade's voice boomed over Naruto and Shizune's heavy breathing. "Sasuke, as you were saying..."

Sakura held her breath. As did Naruto, with some difficulty.

"I've made up my mind," Sasuke started confidently. "I still don't know if I'm okay with it, but I accept the risks involved, and I _will_ take the surgery to get my eyes back."

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Kabuto checked his watch. Twenty-two; twenty-two more hours before they commenced operation 'Snake Attack'. Around him, the teenagers were brandishing their weapons and settled down for the night. A ninja suddenly appeared before him in a poof of smoke, and kneed down to his superior. His forehead protector bore the symbol of the leaf village.

"Kabuto-taichou, I have new information," he stated politely. Kabuto nodded for him to go on. "The target, Uchiha Sasuke, has accepted the preposition for surgery on his eyes in the hopes of attaining his vision back. Godaime Tsunade has arranged for the operation to commence in seventeen hours, exactly five hours before we commence operation 'Snake Attack'. By my estimations, taichou, the operation will take about five hours, meaning it will most likely end just as we begin. Awaiting orders, sir."

Kabuto widened his eyes. Sasuke should be more than aware that there was absolutely no way for him to regain his vision unless Orochimaru said so. There was even a blood seal on the back of both eyes to signify this. Why on earth would he agree to try any type of operation? Especially if he knew there were huge risks involved? Unless…

"There is no change in plans," Kabuto announced, a smile spreading on his face. "If anything, Sasuke has created an opening when Tsunade will be tired and unable to fight properly. Please continue with your observations and report to me if anything else happens. You have done well so far."

The man bowed his head before getting up and disappearing. Kabuto's smile faded slightly. Since there was so much time left, he could ponder as to what Sasuke's motives were. Had he truly forgotten about the seals, or was he still loyal to Orochimaru? Or maybe there were other reasons yet to be foreseen by Kabuto's cat-like eyes.

The bespectacled teen smirked before settling down for some rest. This was truly becoming more interesting than intended… Interesting indeed…

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**Bista:** ummmm... taichou means captain... I don't usually use romji Japanese words in fanfictions, but it just fit the scenario! 

And hey, just because you **think** something big is going to happen because of the last scene, doesn't mean your right. (-runs off giggling-)


	6. Operation

**Mali: **Hey there. Wow that was a quick update even to my standards! Yay! XD. I hope you enjoy this chapter. Aha... it's solve the problem by don't you get your knickers in a twist becuase we're not done yet!! Please review. I apoligize for any spelling errors in gramor mistakes that the both of us may have missed. TTFN!

**Bista: **Yeah... Told you this would be faster than my updates... Surpise ending of this chapter! This isn't the end though.

**Disclaimer:** ... Now think about this one REALLY hard...

* * *

**Operation**

16, 15, 14, 13, 12, 11, 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2…

That was all the time Sasuke had until the operation. Two hours. There was nothing left to do but wait in anxiety.

The young Uchiha had finally made up his mind to try to get his eyes back and understood the risks involved. But still he wasn't quite sure if he was okay with it. A 30/ 70 chance.

_Is it really worth it? What if I don't get my sight back? It's is only a thirty- seventy chance. That's not too high. But I really want to be able to see again. To use my Sharingan again! That would be a huge advantage for me, to be able to walk in the forest and not have to worry about running into a tree or to trip over a root. Yes, I agree with the risks. I won't back down from this. I will pull though and get my sight back! _

Sasuke stood from the bed hesitantly and made his way to the front door.

Maybe he'd see in Naruto was at the ramen shop. The dumb blond always was able to cheer him up even if he didn't realize it.

When he opened the door the abnormally bring sunlight hit him is the face causing him to shut his eyes and cover them with a hand. He couldn't remember the last time the sun shone so brightly.

The Uchiha started down the street taking the long way to Naruto's favorite place in the world.

Five minutes later the blind Uchiha prodigy was joined be a happier than usual Lee, the genius of tai-jutsu.

"Hello Sasuke-kun" Lee stated joyfully.

Sasuke nodded in acknowledgement.

"Beautiful day isn't it?! It makes me so happy."

"Hn" Was the Sasuke replied which meant more or less that he agreed with Lee.

"So"

Both shinobi stopped and turned to look at the group of children who were training in the sunlight. Guessing they were Iruka-sensei's academy student by the way they were throwing shuriken at the targeted trees. Some wore faces of pure glee when one of the knives actually hit the target and others who looked like they were about to cry; obviously because all their shuriken were scattered around the bottom of the tree, not a single one even grazing the target.

"How pathetic" Sasuke stated to Lee who seemed upset now.

"Sasuke-kun I would advise you not to say such things. They blossom with the flowers of youth! They are learning fast; faster than me or me."

"No. Just you, not me."

"Ok then Sasuke-kun. They remind me of myself when I was young. I still can't aim shuriken at a single target."

"Which would be why you don't wear a tool pouch" Sated Sasuke. He wouldn't admit it, not to anybody. But this feeling, the feeling of not being able to actually see how badly these children were doing. Sure he could sense they were missing the target by a mile and even though he was blind that he could still hit every one with perfect accuracy just didn't feel the same. He wished he wasn't blind more than ever. Just so he could see how young ninja trainees looked up to him and Lee. The worshiped them; just like how he worshiped Itachi. They followed him around. Sometimes they even spied on him while he trained, trying to pick up new methods of how to train. Although most of his training methods were from Oroichimaru and that young children could never complete them at their age. Even he sometimes had trouble with them. But those methods worked wonders.

"I don't understand." Sated Lee, "How can you just see right though them? As if they mean nothing to you? How can they not make you happy and make you remember your childhood?! Don't you seem them? And their smiling faces?"

"No"

"No? What do you mean no? No you can't see them? No you don't care? I don't understand."

_Gosh Lee, are you that stupid? Have you completely forgotten that I'm blind? Or did you never know?_

"Lee it's not that I chose not to see them. I 'can't' see them. I'm blind Lee." Sasuke stated coldly. It was the after all the cold hard truth. There was nothing else to it. It just was.

"What? You're blind? I'm so sorry Sasuke-kun. I would've never said anything if I had known. I had no idea."

"No you didn't"

"Please forgive me" Rock Lee begged to the Uchiha.

"Whatever"

"Then how do you train? You can't see the targets."

"I can still hit them perfectly Lee"

"Sure you can; I don't believe you. Show me here then. Hit every one of these targets and then I'll believe that you can be an excellent ninja even though you're blind!"

Each word Lee said stung the Uchiha more and more. He felt his anger rising so he decided to arise to the challenge.

"You're on" The Uchiha said. "And you're starting to sound a lot like Naruto. That idiot..."

The raven haired shinobi concentrated chakra to his feet and jumped into the air. Spinning gracefully he shot kunai every direction. His eyes closed he whirled in the air before gently to the ground and opening his eyes.

Lee, all the other academy students and Iruka who had walked outside just as Sasuke jumped into the air stood frozen to the spot. Mouths hanging open. Iruka was the first to make a move.

"Wow Sasuke-kun, quite the improvement from the academy even though you were the best then too. Where did you learn that?"

Sasuke didn't want to answer but still didn't want to be rude to his former teacher who had taught him so much so he obliged to the question and decided to answer. "My brother."

"Oh well… umm" The Chunnin teacher didn't know quite how to react. Uchiha Itachi wasn't a happy subject in the land of Fire. "You're lunch break is over children, inside. I would like to talk to Uchiha-san alone. Read the pages marked on the board. I shouldn't be long."

With whines from the kids, they picked up their shuriken reluctantly and went inside.

"So Sasuke... I heard from Naruto that you decided to go through with the surgery."

"Yes."

"You're getting surgery?" Inquired Lee.

"My eyes," Sasuke reminded.

"Yes, and I just wanted to know what the success rate in it was, Naruto forgot."

"Figures... 30."

"That's it?!?" Lee asked incredulously. "Tsunade-sama wouldn't even go through with mine unless she could get it up past 50. That seems really risky. I wouldn't get though with it Sasuke, not with a success rate that low"

"I agree with Lee on this one Sasuke. You should back out of it. When is it anyway?"

"About an hour and a half and I don't give if you don't agree with my decision. It's been a trip to hell not to have my eyes!"

"I understand Sasuke but, are you sure?"

"Yes, I'm sure Iruka. I appreciate your concern but this is something I have to do. I'd rather try than not. It's not like I'll die if it fails. I don't think so anyway. Not like anyone will care if I do die. I'm useless to the village with out Sharingan anyway. Without my Sharingan it's as if the entire Uchiha clan is dead. Being my brother is no longer here. That move was the last things he showed me before he left although he did promise to show me something else. But that was the day of the massacre. I tried so hard to find a way to obtain Sharingan after that day, to prove that I was worth something. That I really was a part of the great Uchiha legacy. Like _him_. To be acknowledged be my father. Who's now dead, so now I can't show him that I have Sharingan, the Uchiha clan's true legacy! And I'm not about to go lose it! Sorry Iruka but I'm just not going to back out now."

"It's your choice Sasuke. But think of Naruto and Sakura. They don't want you to risk your life for your eyes; when you're an excellent ninja already," Lee said to the now angry Sasuke.

"They understand," Sasuke stated. "I should be on my way. Thank you for your time Iruka. I'll be fine."

"Fine, on your way then Uchiha-san and good luck..."

"Jaa mata (1)" The Uchiha said, turning and heading down the street leaving a disapproving Lee and Iruka behind to wallow in pity for the young Uchiha.

Sasuke continued to walk down the street trying to shut out what his former teacher and comrade told him. He tried to convince himself that what the said meant no value at all. That no matter how friendly he was to Sakura, Kakashi and Naruto they could never really care about him. And he was absolutely sure that they would never try to talk him out of getting the surgery. Would they? No, he decided. They understood him enough and knew just how important his eyes were to him. They respected their wishes. At least he though they did.

As Sasuke was talking to Iruka and Lee, Naruto and Sakura were having a conversation of their own. Sakura was trying to talk to Naruto so he could try to convince Sasuke not to have the eye surgery. She was almost sure that Sasuke would crack under the pressure from Naruto. And she was almost sure that her perfect raven haired friend didn't have it in him to say no to Naruto.

"C'mon Naruto," Sakura begged to her comrade. "Please?!"

"No!"

"Why not?!"

"Because... well... 'cause Sasuke trusts us."

"No offence, but I fail to see where trust comes into this at all."

"But that's just it Sakura. Sasuke trusts that we won't make this decision any harder than this already is for him. Or are you still 'that' bad at reading your 'oh so precious Sasuke'?!" Naruto spoke the truth cruelly.

The last words Naruto spoke hit Sakura hard. She knew they shouldn't have but it just hurt to have Naruto talk to her like that. It reminded her of when Sasuke told her about her lack of fighting skills before the Chunnin Exams. If it was Ino talking to her like this she wouldn't care at all, but it wasn't; it was Naruto. Naruto who spoke to her cruelly, Naruto who spoke to her like she wasn't even worth talking to. It was Naruto that never did anything to her who asked her if, even after all this time training with Team 7, that even know she didn't know Sasuke as well as she thought she did.

"What do you mean?"

"I mean that Sasuke has 'obviously' had a hard time choosing to go though with his operation on his own. And well now that he's made his decision I don't think that it's right to go up to him now; less than an hour and a half before the surgery and demand that he shouldn't do it because it's too risky. Does that sound fair Sakura? Does it? If you were in Sasuke's place how would you feel if your two best friends who you trusted more than anyone in the world came and told you that they didn't want you to go though with the surgery when they could've had weeks to tell you?" yelled the blonde ninja. He was pouring out all his rage and anger out at the very girl he thought he was in love with.

"Well I... uh... I guess that I would feel bad and confused..." Sakura admitted slowly.

"Exactly. Now if that's how you would feel then do you think that it's fair to do the same to Sasuke?"

"No..."

"My point exactly Sakura," Naruto finished. "You can go plead to him yourself to get him to not partake in the operation but you won't find me standing beside you to back you up as always; like our missions. I'm sorry Sakura, but not this time. This time I'll be standing beside Sasuke and praying that he'll get though it fine. I should go find Sasuke by the way. You know: to wish him good luck. And you're welcome to come along."

"No thanks Naruto. I need some time to think," Sakura said, trying hard to hold back tears. This wasn't how Naruto was supposed to act and it sacred her.

The boy turned his back to the girl and started back down the path he came down when Sakura so rudely pulled him from the ramen shop. That reminded him, he forgot to pay.

The lower-than-dirt-feeling female started at the back of her friend and comrade, remembering all those times when Naruto (and Sasuke of course) were always there to back Sakura up if she needed it.

"Naruto… Sasuke… I'm sorry… that I let you down. Please don't hate me but I can't have Sasuke's life in danger..." The pink haired kunoichi pleaded when Naruto was out of earshot. Then she too turned and headed down to street to the Hokage tower where she would wait the arrival of her lover, who didn't and wouldn't ever love her back.

There was still one hidden presence after the other two bodies left the private training area.

_Does she really not know that much about me? I've even tried to open up more. Sheesh Sakura, you think a girl would learn. And I thought you were one of the most intelligent of our year. _

It was strange in all the years the raven haired Uchiha had known the pink haired girl she had never gone against his will…. ever. It wasn't in her. Or so he thought.

And Naruto, standing up for him like that? He thought he would never say it but two tiny words that held so much meaning in them escaped him lips.

"Naruto, thank you..." The Uchiha felt touched. No one ever in his memory had ever stood up for him like that. He felt proud to be the obnoxious blonde's friend.

A half hour away from the operation, Sasuke walked down the street in search of Naruto. But oh how karma and luck seemed to be against him that day. Just a while ago he was the unhappy subject of Naruto and Sakura's quarrels. Now, in less than one day, it seemed like all of Konoha seemed to know he was having the eyes surgery.

"Good luck Sasuke!" Tenten said as she walked by the annoyed Uchiha.

Angrily grumbling as he walked as more and more people; some people of who he didn't even know walked by with 'Good Luck Sasuke' comments.

There was a loud screeching noise as Sasuke was knocked off his feet and fell to the ground, landing a sea of dust.

"What the heck!"

"Sorry Sasuke," said a boy dressed in a yellow jump suit. "I was looking for you."

"I should've known it was you," Sasuke muttered as he stood up and dusted himself off. "What do you want, idiot?"

"I came to see if you wanted company during the operation. Tsunade-sama said I could but only if you allowed it."

"Sure, I guess..."

"Err… really?"

"Don't make me repeat myself Naruto."

"Ok, I get it!"

"Let's go. There's less than a half hour until the operation."

"Okay! We're off!"

Half an hour later Sasuke was strapped down in the bleached white sheets of the uncomfortable Konoha hospital bed.

Naruto sat by his bed and chattered endlessly away about random things. Sasuke didn't care to listen so he just blanked out trying to calm the nerves that built up.

"Hello? Sasuke... Earth to Sasuke! Dang it Uchiha! Come in Sasuke… SASUKE!!!!"

"Hn."

"You blank out and a half; I said 'good luck and that I'll be in the corner if you need anything.'"

"'Kay..."

"But Sasuke... Are you sure about this?"

"For the final time yes. Yes I'm ready to go though with this." repeated Sasuke for the umpteenth time that day.

"Final time?"

"Nevermind, it's not important."

At that moment, Tsunade walked in, completely covered in white, sterile clothing.

"Ok then, you ready?" she asked, putting on some gloves.

"Hn," was the only reply from the Uchiha. The medical genius took that for a yes.

And with that, Shizune and a few other medical ninjas entered the white room while Tsunade silently strapped a rubber band around Sasuke's bicep then slipped a long disinfected needle into a large vein.

Sasuke stifled a yawn as the needle quickly took effect; forcing the Uchiha into a deep sleep. That was the queue of the medical team to start working.

For the first half hour everything was going right on schedule. No interferences and the team thought nothing could happen… boy were they wrong...

First of all, Sasuke somehow woke up half way though the operation. Of course if anyone was really awake during the kind of surgery that was being preformed, it would be painful; very, _very_ painful. Sasuke started screaming and thrashing around, startling everyone. One medical ninja working with a shape probe on his eye accidentally jerked his hand away, but in the process tearing an enormous gash into the pained Uchiha's face. Tsunade saw that there would be a small scar from his left ear down across the nose and down to the right jaw line.

Blood started to ooze out of the wound and Naruto started to wonder what had happened. He couldn't see because of the swarm of medical-nin but he knew that his friend had awoken, hence the screaming, but what now?

One of the doctors swore under his breath and grabbed some tube of some kind, while another left the room and came back carrying with another needle to put the Uchiha back to sleep.

This time Sasuke didn't react to the sleeping medicine. The human body could only take so much at a time, and the first time had used all of that up.

Tsunade quickly analyzed the situation at hand. The way she saw it was that if they stopped the surgery now, Sasuke would never ever be able to see or even be able to attempt the operation again. On the other hand, they could continue, but risk an even lower success rate. In the end, she went with the best option at the moment: continue. That's what she believed Sasuke would want anyway. He wasn't a quitter and neither was she.

"Everyone just shut up!" Tsunade ordered as all heads immediately turned to their Hokage. "Ok, I've decided we're going to continue."

A few disbelieving looks didn't make her doubt her decision. All worked quickly knowing what would happen if they didn't.

All went well after that though. After another hour and a half they were done, the Uchiha breathing hard and in immense pain.

After they filed out Naruto repositioned his chair beside Sasuke's bed side.

Tsunade assured him that the surgery was a success and Sasuke should be able to see in just a few minutes. She also told him that after the Uchiha gained full vision that he was to try to activate Sharingan.

------

"Oh my gosh..." the Uchiha breathed in amazement. Then the Uchiha did something he rarely ever, ever did: he smiled.

Naruto smiled one of his famous fox grins right back knowing for the first time in a long time Sasuke could really see it.

Naruto still looked the same. Blonde, shorter than him, gem blue eyes, and of course he was in an orange jump-suit.

"So Sasuke how's it to be able to see again?"

"Amazing..."

"Great, then let's go!"

"Go where? Am I really allowed out this quick?"

"Yeah," Naruto grinned. "But oops. First you have to activate Sharingan then I have to report back to Granny Tsunade."

"'Kay," Sasuke stated as the racked his memory of how to actually activate Sharingan. It had been so long after all. Once he remembered he closed his eyes before promptly opening them again to show twp red eyes with three back tomoe (2) in them.

"Since when did you have three comma things?"

"I do?"

"Yeah."

"Oh… I guess since our fight at the Valley Of The End. I…" Sasuke sighed. "Can we go yet?"

"Yeah, yeah."

"Great."

"Can we go get some miso-ramen first though? I'm starving!"

"Sure, idiot," Sasuke answered. Neither boys realized it but both were smiling a smile they kept hidden all they're lives. Naruto's was one the stretched from ear to ear showing every single one of his teeth. The smile he never showed because of the resentment toward people the covered it and replaced a similar but completely different smile in its place. Sasuke on the other had smiled a smile unlike one anyone ever had seen. Everyone save Itachi that was. A shy adorable smile that made everyone else who saw it smile even if they were in a foul mood. This smile was always covered by unhealed wounds that his brother and family had inflicted in him.

The boys left the hospital after reporting to Hokage that all was well. Tsunade smiled inwardly at seeing the famous Uchiha Sharingan again. The mark on Sasuke's face was healed thanks to her handiwork. There was barely even a scar!

They started down the street toward the ramen shop; one boy enjoying the scenery while the other just wanted to fill his stomach.

Only one thought ran thought the silver haired jounin's head as the watched the two on his squad… typical.

Kabuto sent out the last of his orders to the ninja.

The ninja walked into the room in which Orochimaru sat.

"Orochimaru-sama, it's time..."

* * *

(1) - Jaa mata - That's how you say 'So long'. No, I'm not getting this from an anime. That's what the anime is more or less trying to say. -Ish. They say 'ja ne' though, which is really informal. That's what Mali had before me realized it wasn't right. Yays! You get a Japanese lesson! 

(2) - Tomoe - This is what those comma thingies in the Sharingan are called. The tomoe are used a lot in Japanese art. They're really pretty too... Well, they create an optical illusion at least. It is the tomoe that Kishimoto-san based the cursed seals, and the Sharingan. The real tomoe are closing together though... and they're tails are longer... what ever...

* * *

**Bista:** See? Surprise! Sasuke's got his vision back! For now... -insert manaical laughter here- Anyways, my chapter next, so... please be patient... 


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